Gambling Trumps Violence as the NBA’s Biggest Problem

The ongoing drama surrounding Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards encapsulates everything that's wrong with the culture of the NBA.

The Association is made up of hundreds of young men with too much power and fame, and way more money than they know what to do with. Add it all up, and something like this was bound to happen.

The inevitability of conflict and crime in the NBA is the product of a culture where money flows freely. Where everyone is getting fat paychecks and willing to squander them. Where no one really understands what they're getting into.

Guns aren't the problem. At the core, gambling is the real problem.

Reports indicated that on Arenas' Twitter page, which has since been deleted, the embattled Wizards star wrote that his disagreement with teammate Javaris Crittenton stemmed from a $150,000 gambling debt left unsettled by the two players. The two disputed the debt, tempers flared, and eventually, guns were drawn.

But this is no isolated incident — this is a problem that's been snowballing for far too long.

Players are routinely subjected to long flights — three, five, seven hours on occasion. They get bored and they've got plenty of money, so naturally they choose to play fast and loose with it. It's not surprising that from time to time, they get carried away.

Gambling in the NBA is a slippery slope. Sometimes it leads to nothing more than petty bickering but in Arenas' case, it led to guns, scandal, and a guilty plea to a felony gun possession charge Friday.

What should be done? Some say gambling should be banned altogether in the NBA.

The New Jersey Nets have already gone so far, announcing that all bets are off on their team plane. "Obviously," team president Rod Thorn told the Associated Press, "you can see what can happen."

Others aren't so sure. A number of New Orleans Hornets have defended gambling, saying that they know not to cross the line. David West said this week that "We always do that type of stuff," adding that "I think it's kind of an unwritten thing in the NBA."

What Arenas did was completely unacceptable and the NBA should absolutely do what it can to avoid seeing another episode like his in the future. But perhaps banning gambling altogether isn't the answer.

Sure, there are plenty of problems that can stem from a gambling debt between teammates. Not just physical violence, but emotional unrest that can damage team chemistry. Personal biases can grow that cloud the decisions made on the court.

There are no easy answers here. But rather than overreacting to the Arenas scandal and banning a longtime player pastime, the more sensible way to is to tread carefully.

Coaches and team execs should proceed from here in moderation and to watch their players carefully. There's nothing wrong with a friendly wager. Let the players have their poker games, but keep the stakes low — and for God's sake, keep the guns unloaded.